1. Field of Invention
The present invention generally relates to fluent material handling equipment. More particularly, this invention relates to a holder for draining a viscous fluid from a bottle of the type having a neck and a mouth.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various devices have previously been proposed for draining viscous fluids from bottles. One type of prior art device is in the form of a rack or stand that holds a bottle to be emptied in an inclined position. For example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,814,293, 3,872,868, 4,278,225, 5,002,246, and 5,080,150.
A problem with these types of device is that they are often limited in the size of bottles that they can accommodate. Additionally, when their use is only occasionally needed, they are often sized such that they are inconvenient to store. Furthermore, these devices can often be relatively complicated or elaborate structures, which is often reflected in the prices charged for them.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,847 accommodates a large range of bottle sizes by providing a support member which is extended into the mouth of an inverted bottle, with the bottle being supported by having the inside surface of the bottle""s bottom rest on the tip of this support member. A disadvantage of this device is the potential that exists for the support member to contaminate the bottle""s contents.
Despite the prior art, there exists a need for a better means for draining viscous fluids from bottles. Such a means would preferably have improved qualities such as: (1) simpler construction, leading to lower costs, (2) capability to accommodate a wider range of bottle sizes, and (3) ease of use and storage when not in use.
3. Objects and Advantages
There has been summarized above, rather broadly, the prior art that is related to the present invention in order that the context of the present invention may be better understood and appreciated. In this regard, it is instructive to also consider the objects and advantages of the present invention.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a container drainer holder that is of a very simple construction so that it can easily be manufactured and sold less expensively than competitive products.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a container drainer holder that can accommodate a wide range of bottle sizes.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a container drainer holder that will allow one bottle to be held in an inverted position while its contents are drained into another bottle.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a container drainer holder that is easy and convenient to store when not in use.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent as the invention is better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings and the detailed description that follows.
In accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention, a holder for draining a viscous fluid from a bottle, of the type having a neck and a mouth, comprises a central base having an outer perimeter, a plurality of elongated, support members that extend from the base""s outer perimeter and are foldable upward so that their ends approach each other at a point on an axis which extends perpendicular to and above this base. The ends of the support members are flared and concaved outward so that these portions cooperate to form a structure, when the support members are folded upward, for receiving the neck of a bottle that is inverted and placed in the holder. The members are held in their upward folded positions by an elastic band which is placed around the outside of the support members in the vicinity of their concave outward portions.
Other embodiments of the present invention have features which allow this holder to be placed onto the neck of a second bottle into which the contents of the first bottle is to be drained, and features which limit the inward, angular extent to which the support members may be bent.
Thus, there has been summarized above, rather broadly, the more important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description that follows may be better understood and appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of any eventual claims to this invention.